Tuesday, January 12, 2010

The Berlinale celebrates its 60th Birthday

Along with the Cannes and the Venice Festivals, the International Berlinale Film Festival is one of the most fascinating, historical and cultural of the cinema scene. For 60 years thousands of professionals from many countries meet in Berlin to attend the biggest event in cinema. If you want to be part of the festival, attending the theatre, to screenings and to tap into the vast universe of the stars, come to Berlin from 11th to 21st February. You will not regret it!

The Golden, the Silver and the Honorary Bears – some of them carved by Renée Sintenis since 1951, are waiting in the clubhouse and prepared to shine on the red carpet and pose with the actors, actresses, filmmakers and new talent. Welcome to one of the biggest events of the European film industry, an exemplary event to see one of the most exciting areas of our society: the culture of cinema and its power. This year about 400 films will be presented and it comes full of comical, dramatic, fantastic and glamorous proposals. You can also enjoy the talks, the parties and other parallel events.

Some 26 films were chosen for the “Competition”, a category that rewards big international movies. This year Roman Polanski, Martin Scorsese and other filmmakers coming from India, Austria, Bosnia Herzegovina, Croatia, France, Germany, Iran and Turkey have been selected.

There is also a category called “Panorama” which gives awards for independent film productions and documentaries. On the other hand, is the “German Kino” category which focuses on Germany’s latest creations, all subtitled in English. And the last two divisions are called “Forum”, which rewards experimental films that often come from some lost corner of the planet, and finally, the “Generation” category, which selects the international films for children and teenagers.

The opening ceremony will be punctuated by a tribute to the famous German director Fritz Lang, with a restored and reconstructed projection of Metropolis (1927), a classic film of the history of cinema. Become part of the public which every year gains larger numbers, whose record was in 2009, when 275,000 tickets were sold. If you come, you’ll find the heart of the festival in the area called Potsdamer Platz: here you’ll find most of the theatres where the film screenings will be projected.

To commemorate the honourable history of the Berlinale, which survived the Cold War, the 1968 protests and the falling of The Wall among other events, there will be two books published and a DVD. Think no more and go to Berlin! Book your ticket rent Berlin Apartments for a more memorable stay in the city of cinema.